Never One For Racing Cars, Danny Matienzo Shifted Sports And Is Still ...

June 1, 2000|By ANDREA SZULSZTEYN Staff Writer

CORAL GABLES — Long before Danny Matienzo's heart began racing every time he hit a baseball harder and farther than anyone, speeding cars and whirring go-karts did all the racing he knew.

Days at the racetrack with his father far outnumbered Danny's days on the baseball diamond. Eugenio Matienzo raced in the Sports Car Club Association while son Danny was growing up in southwest Dade.

Eugenio's races at Moroso, Daytona and Sebring were not complete without Danny there cheering on his father. Danny began racing go-karts of his own, and Eugenio could see his son continuing along the same track he made for himself.

Until Danny's plans suddenly veered off course. He decided to chase baseballs, not pace cars. It's a choice that has served the University of Miami freshman well as the Hurricanes prepare to face Florida State on Friday at 7 p.m. in Game 1 of the best-of-3 NCAA Super Regionals.

"My dad loved racing, and he tried to get me into racing," Danny Matienzo said. "Since it was his passion, he tried to guide me that way. But I started leaning to baseball. Baseball was my passion, so I was giving him a hint I didn't want to race anymore.

"It didn't upset him. He gave up racing and said he would help me as much as he can throughout the future, and he has."

Matienzo, who went to Miami Columbus High, also has helped his teammates. After playing first base during the season to fill in for the injured Kevin Brown, Matienzo moved to designated hitter during last weekend's regionals.

He hit .438 with seven hits and nine RBI -- including a grand slam in UM's 14-4 win against Florida International on Sunday -- en route to Most Outstanding Player honors. Matienzo again will be the team's DH this weekend. The winner of the UM-FSU series advances to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

"As a coaching staff we felt Danny was the best hitter in Dade County," UM coach Jim Morris said. "If you're the best hitter in Dade County, you may be the best hitter in the state of Florida because it's such a great area for high school baseball. We had high expectations for him, and he's met those expectations."

Eugenio Matienzo also had high expectations for his son. After arriving in the United States from Cuba in 1961, the elder Matienzo played in neighborhood baseball games before moving on to auto racing.

He wanted Danny to go into auto racing as well. However, Eugenio arrived home from a race one weekend when Danny was 6 and found his son sitting on a couch with a red eye.

"I asked his mother what happened," Eugenio said. "She told me, `He goes out and plays [baseball] with the 12- and 13-year-old kids. So I freaked out. I went to the park the next day where they played and saw him playing with all the older kids.

"So I asked one of them why they wanted to play with my son. And he said, `He hits the ball farther than all of us put together.' Danny's always been a hitter."

That's when Eugenio realized Danny loved baseball. Danny won about 70 trophies racing go-karts. But Eugenio never pushed him again, and he later sold his race car and spare parts to support his son's baseball dreams.

Eugenio, an auto mechanic, became a volunteer assistant coach on Danny's teams and went to as many games as he could. Whenever Eugenio could not attend, Danny's mother, Vivian, was in the stands. The family plans to make the eight-hour drive to Tallahassee this weekend.

"Racing go-karts was never Danny's passion," Vivian said. "When he was 6, he said, `Mom, I want to play baseball. I want to be on a team and wear a uniform.' When it came to baseball, he took the lead, and that was fine with us. He hasn't stopped."

After Minnesota selected him in the 24th round of the Major League Baseball draft last year, Matienzo decided he would honor his commitment to play at UM, where Columbus teammate and best friend Kiki Bengochea also was an incoming freshman.

Matienzo entered the year vying for the catching job but settled on first base. He still hopes to be UM's catcher. Matienzo is scheduled to play catcher every day during summer league ball, and Morris said he has a chance to win that job.

But whether he is a catcher or not, Matienzo has fulfilled a lifelong dream playing for UM, along with Bengochea.

"At a school with such great talent, you don't expect to play too much your freshman year," Bengochea said. "But we got the opportunity. When I see the way he's playing, I've played with him since I'm 13, it's really nice to see your best friend going out there making such an impact."

Even if the impact is rounding the bases instead of circling a racetrack.

"I've been playing a lot, and it's been amazing," Matienzo said. "It's incredible. I didn't think all this would turn out this way. I'm glad it did."